Eastern League

He isn't a part of the Orioles' postseason push, but Dylan Bundy was a playoff winner Wednesday night, pitching Double-A Bowie to a 4-2 win over Akron in Game 1 of their Eastern League playoff series at Prince George's Stadium. The Orioles' top prospect allowed one run on six hits in six innings, striking out seven and walking just one. Bundy's only run allowed came on a homer by Matt Lawson in the top of the second inning. Rhyne Hughes' two-run homer in the fourth gave Bowie the lead, and Ronnie Welty and Ty Kelly added solo home runs for the Baysox.

Making just the sixth professional start of his career, Orioles first-round draft pick Kevin Gausman was thrown into the middle of a playoff series on Friday night. Gausman, the No. 4 overall pick in this June's first-year player draft out of LSU, made his debut for Double-A Bowie, starting Game 3 of the Eastern League semifinals for the Baysox. The 21-year-old right-hander recorded his best start as a pro, throwing three shutout innings against the Akron Areos, allowing just two hits and striking out a career-high five and walking none.

The Double-A All-Star Game will be played in Bowie this season; by then, the host Baysox should be jelling as a force in the Eastern League. "As the year goes on, we'll get better and better," new manager Andy Etchebarren said of his fledgling team that will accent speed. "I've got the feeling that a lot of these kids will be maturing." The Baysox begin their seventh year at Prince George's Stadium tomorrow with 1997 first-round draftees Jayson Werth and Darnell McDonald heading an array of prospects that form their nucleus.

He isn't a part of the Orioles' postseason push, but Dylan Bundy was a playoff winner Wednesday night, pitching Double-A Bowie to a 4-2 win over Akron in Game 1 of their Eastern League playoff series at Prince George's Stadium. The Orioles' top prospect allowed one run on six hits in six innings, striking out seven and walking just one. Bundy's only run allowed came on a homer by Matt Lawson in the top of the second inning. Rhyne Hughes' two-run homer in the fourth gave Bowie the lead, and Ronnie Welty and Ty Kelly added solo home runs for the Baysox.

Three members of the Double-A Bowie Baysox have been chosen to participate in this week's Eastern League All-Star Game in Norwich, Conn., including right-hander Radhames Liz, the first pitcher in franchise history to throw a complete-game no-hitter at Prince George's Stadium. Liz, selected by fans to Wednesday night's game, will be joined by outfielder Val Majewski and third baseman Oscar Salazar. One of the top pitching prospects in the Orioles' organization, Liz leads Bowie with 101 strikeouts in 17 games and is 6-4 with a 3.73 ERA, lowest among Baysox starters.

Making just the sixth professional start of his career, Orioles first-round draft pick Kevin Gausman was thrown into the middle of a playoff series on Friday night. Gausman, the No. 4 overall pick in this June's first-year player draft out of LSU, made his debut for Double-A Bowie, starting Game 3 of the Eastern League semifinals for the Baysox. The 21-year-old right-hander recorded his best start as a pro, throwing three shutout innings against the Akron Areos, allowing just two hits and striking out a career-high five and walking none.

Yesterday Triple-A International League Buffalo at Ottawa, ppd., rain Double-A Eastern League Bowie idle Single-A Carolina League Frederick 8, Winston-Salem 2 Single-A South Atlantic League Asheville 7, Delmarva 1 Lake County 4, Hagerstown 3 Today Triple-A International League Buffalo at Ottawa (DH), 5:05 Double-A Eastern League Bowie at Reading, 7:05 Single-A Carolina League Frederick at Potomac, 7:05 Single-A South Atlantic League Asheville at Delmarva, 6:35 Hagerstown at Lake County, 7:05 Tomorrow Triple-A International League Buffalo at Ottawa, 1:05 Double-A Eastern League Bowie at Reading, 1:05 Single-A Carolina League Frederick at Potomac, 7:05 Single-A South Atlantic League Hickory at Delmarva, 1:35 Kannapolis at Hagerstown, 1:35

ALBANY, N.Y. -- Cesar Devarez's bloop single to center in the second inning scored two runs and led the Bowie Baysox to a 3-1 win over the Albany-Colonie Yankees last night in a Double-A Eastern League game.Left-hander Brian DuBois (1-1) allowed one earned run (a bases-empty home run by Kevin Jordan in the fourth) on six hits in six innings, earning his first win in six starts for the Baysox.Jim Dedrick pitched three perfect innings for his second save.Loser Ron Frazier (0-1) gave up eighth hits (including Devarez's two-run single)

NEW HAVEN, Conn. -- J. D. Noland went 3-for-4 and Ryan Turner had two RBI to lead the New Haven Ravens to a 3-2 victory over the Bowie Baysox in an Eastern League game last night. Brian Sackinsky started for the Baysox and took the loss, allowing three runs and six hits in his five innings of work.

The Orioles haven't made it known whether top pitching prospect Dylan Bundy will join the big league team once rosters expand on Saturday -- and the organization's moves with the 19-year-old right-hander this season have set the stage for a late-season call-up -- but manager Buck Showalter's words Wednesday indicated otherwise. Before Wednesday's game against the Chicago White Sox, Showalter indicated that Bundy will remain with Double-A Bowie through their likely postseason run and then participate in the instructional league in Sarasota.

Bowie lefty Jake Pettit has been named Eastern League Pitcher of the Week, becoming the first Baysox player to receive the honor since Zach Clark in June. Pettit, 25, went 1-0 on the week with a 1.17 ERA and five strikeouts over 7 2/3 innings pitched. He threw 7 1/3 no-hit innings against the Trenton Thunder on Saturday before giving up a homer. On the season, Pettit, a 42nd-rounder in 2010, is 9-3 with a 4.10 ERA in 22 games (19 starts) with the Baysox.

OK, so Dylan Bundy is better than the other boys at Low-A Delmarva . The Orioles' top pick last year (fourth overall) has demolished the competition in the South Atlantic League. On Monday, he pitched four more scoreless innings - for a total of 17 in his pro career. In his first four pro games, Bundy has allowed one hit, two walks and struck out 25 batters.      The Orioles will stretch him out a little bit more, with at least one more four-inning stint at Delmarva, but one has to assume the 19-year-old will be at High-A Frederick soon enough.

Starting pitching is a topic that worries most Orioles fans, but that might not be a problem too much longer. The Orioles' farm clubs are starting the 2009 season this week, and most of them are loaded with talented starters who could play a role with the big club in the near future. Patience is the key as team officials have repeatedly stated they don't want to rush these pitchers. "We want them to get their feet on the ground and get a solid foundation," said David Stockstill, the team's director of player development.

Despite the presence of several young relievers with potential in the system, a 35-year-old journeyman who pitched for the Bowie Baysox earned the top spot in my list. That's right, I think Julio Manon had the finest statistics in the organization. Manon led the Eastern League with 32 saves and he was one of the main reasons that Bowie made the playoffs for the first time since 1997. He had 80 strikeouts and a 3.39 ERA in 63 2/3 innings. That doesn't mean Manon has any potential to help the Orioles in the future.

BOSTON - Orioles outfielder Lou Montanez checked the Double-A box scores yesterday afternoon and got the news that he was hoping to see. Akron's Wes Hodges didn't drive in any runs, leaving him with 97 RBIs. Erie's Ryan Roberson didn't have any home runs, leaving him with 25 for the season. That combination allowed Montanez to clinch the Eastern League Triple Crown despite not having played for the Bowie Baysox since Aug. 4. Montanez became just the fifth Triple Crown winner in Eastern League history and the first since 1976, when Danny Thomas did it for the Berkshire Brewers.

What do pitching and real estate have in common? To be successful in each, it mostly depends on the same thing: location, location, location. For Bowie Baysox right-hander David Hernandez, that axiom couldn't be more appropriate. Already equipped with an arsenal that includes a two- and four-seam fastball, slider and a major-league changeup, the 23-year-old has taken his game to another level this season by focusing more on the location of his pitches, beginning with his fastball. "He's shown great command lately," Baysox pitching coach Mike Griffin said.

Three members of the Double-A Bowie Baysox have been chosen to participate in this week's Eastern League All-Star Game in Norwich, Conn., including right-hander Radhames Liz, the first pitcher in franchise history to throw a complete-game no-hitter at Prince George's Stadium. Liz, selected by fans to Wednesday night's game, will be joined by outfielder Val Majewski and third baseman Oscar Salazar. One of the top pitching prospects in the Orioles' organization, Liz leads Bowie with 101 strikeouts in 17 games and is 6-4 with a 3.73 ERA, lowest among Baysox starters.